There are known in the prior art merchandising machines in which articles to be dispensed are disposed between the turns of one or more helices which are rotated in the course of a dispensing operation to advance the articles and to deliver one of the articles to a customer. Most of these machines are designed to dispense merchandise in bags. For example, bags of snacks such as potato chips and the like are adapted to be delivered by this means.
It is desirable that a merchandising machine of the type described above, which is primarily designed to dispense bagged merchandise, also have the capability of delivering other articles such, for example, as bars of candy or the like. Unfortunately, the units which are adapted to deliver merchandise in bags do not easily handle bars of candy and the like. Attempts have been made in the prior art to modify the delivery units so as to enable them to handle articles of merchandise such as bars of candy. Such attempts have generally been unsuccessful. First, loading of existing units with bars of candy consumes an inordinate amount of space for the size of the article being delivered. Secondly, the units adapted to handle bags do not readily accommodate candy bars so that jamming of the delivery mechanism may occur. Attempts to modify the mechanism to permit the delivery of bars likewise have resulted in arrangements which are likely to jam owing to the difficulty of handling the bar with a helical feeder.
We have developed a delivery unit for a helical feed merchandising machine which unit is especially adapted to handle articles such as bars of candy. Our unit has a relatively high capacity for the space occupied thereby. Our unit successfully delivers articles such as bars of merchandise without jamming. It is certain in operation. It is simple in construction for the result achieved thereby. It is readily adapted for use with other units which are designed to deliver merchandising bags or to deliver articles such as packets of gum and mints.